Foton Tornadoes
Women's volleyball team in the Philippines
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The Foton Tornadoes were a professional women's volleyball team owned by United Asia Automotive Group, Inc. (UAAGI).[1] The first incarnation of the team was established in 2014 as a member of the Philippine Super Liga (PSL), winning two championships. The original Tornadoes were rebranded in 2020 to form what eventually became the Chery Tiggo Crossovers.
 | |
| Short name | Foton |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Tornadoes |
| Founded | 2014 |
| Dissolved | 2023[a] |
| League | Philippine Super Liga (2014–2019) Premier Volleyball League (2023) |
| 2023 Invitational | 11th place |
| Championships | Philippine Super Liga: 2 (2015, 2016) |
In 2023, the team was revived as Chery Tiggo's sister team in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL), marking their professional debut. That team only lasted one conference, the 2023 Invitational Conference, before disbanding once more.
History
The team debuted in the Philippine Super Liga (PSL) during the 2014 Grand Prix as Foton Tornadoes.[2]
The original Foton team would be renamed as the Chery Tiggo Crossovers heading the 2020 season.[3][4] Chery joined the professional PVL in 2021.[5]
In June 2023, the revival of the Foton Tornadoes team was announced. They played with Chery at the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference[6] At least seven Chery players moved to Foton.[7] They have pledged to participate in the PVL for at least the next three years.[8]
The team however withdraw for the succeeding second All-Filipino Conference after several of its players did not have their contracts renewed. The team was revealed to have been temporarily revived to accommodate surplus players from Chery.[9]
International tournaments
As the champion of the 2015 PSL Grand Prix, Foton represented the Philippines, playing as Foton Pilipinas, in the 2016 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship held in Biñan, Laguna.[10] The team was reinforced by three selected players from other PSL teams as well as imports Lindsay Stalzer and Ariel Usher.[11] Italian coach and FIVB volleyball instructor Fabio Menta was named as head coach of the squad.[12] The team finished in 7th place overall after the 9-day competition.[13]
Having won the 2016 Grand Prix, the team was entered once more to the 2017 edition of the Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship. However, the club begged off because of its depleted lineup due to player movements and injuries.[14] In its place, the Philippines was represented by the PSL all-star selection (playing as "Rebisco-PSL Manila").[15]
Name changes
Foton Motors (2014 Philippine Super Liga Grand Prix Conference)
Foton Tornadoes (2014–2017)
Foton Toplanders (2016 Invitational Cup)
Foton Pilipinas (2016 Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship)
Foton Tornadoes Blue Energy (2018–2019)
Final roster
| Foton Tornadoes | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Player | Position | Height | Birth date | School |
| 1 |  Carlota Hernandez | Outside Hitter | 1.66 m (5 ft 5 in) | April 2, 1999 | FEU |
| 2 | Jasmine Nabor | Setter | 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in) | July 11, 1998 | NU |
| 3 | Bernadette Flora | Outside Hitter | 1.70 m (5 ft 7 in) | August 16, 1998 | ADU |
| 5 | Jaila Atienza | Middle blocker | UP | ||
| 7 | Seth Marione Rodriguez | Middle blocker | 1.79 m (5 ft 10 in) | September 22, 1998 | UE |
| 8 | May Luna | Outside hitter | 1.65 m (5 ft 5 in) | August 2, 1992 | DLSU |
| 12 | Mary Antonette Landicho | Libero | NU | ||
| 14 | Nerissa Bautista | Opposite Hitter | 1.78 m (5 ft 10 in) | October 12, 1985 | CPU |
| 15 | France Ronquillo | Opposite hitter | NU | ||
| 16 | Sydney Mae Niegos | Middle Blocker | JRU | ||
| 17 | Mary Rhose Dapol | Outside Hitter | UPHSD | ||
| 22 | Babylove Barbon | Libero | UST | ||
| 23 | Ma. Shaya Adorador (C) | Outside hitter | 1.72 m (5 ft 8 in) | December 29, 1997 | UE |
| 24 | Maria Regina Agatha Mangulabnan | Setter | UST | ||
|
Coaching staff
Brian Esquibel
Yani Fernandez |
Team staff
|
Medical staff
|
Season-by-season records
Domestic league
| League | Season | Conference | Preliminary round | Final round | Ranking | Source |
| PSL | 2014 | Grand Prix | 6th (3–7, 9 pts) | Did not qualify Won in fifth place match vs. Mane 'n Tail, 3–2 |
5th place | [16] |
| 2015 | All-Filipino | 3rd (5–5, 16 pts) | Lost in semifinals vs. Shopinas.com, 2–3 Lost in third place match vs. Philips Gold, 2–3 |
4th place | ||
| Grand Prix | 4th (6–4, 19 pts) | Won in championship vs. Petron, 2–1[A] | Champions | [17] | ||
| 2016 | Invitational | 5th (1–4, 3 pts) | Did not qualify | 6th place | ||
| All-Filipino | 4th (4–3, 12 pts) (First round) 1st (3–0, 8 pts) (Second round) | Lost in championship vs. F2 Logistics, 1–2[A] | Runner-up | |||
| Grand Prix | 1st (9–1, 25 pts) | Won in championship vs. Petron, 2–0[A] | Champions | |||
| 2017 | Invitational | 3rd (3–2, 9 pts) | Finished 4th in final round (0–3, 0 pts) | 4th place | ||
| All-Filipino | 1st (5–1, 15 pts) (Pool C) | Lost in semifinals vs. Petron, 1–3 Lost in third place match vs. Cignal, 1–3 |
4th place | |||
| Grand Prix | 3rd (7–1, 20 pts) | Lost in semifinals vs. Petron, 1–3 Won in third place match vs. Cocolife, 3–0 |
3rd place | |||
| 2018 | Grand Prix | 4th (5–5, 16 pts) | Lost in semifinals vs. F2 Logistics, 0–2[A] Won in third place match vs. Cocolife, 3–1 |
3rd place | ||
| Invitational | 4th (1–3, 4 pts) (Group A) | Did not qualify Won in seventh place match vs. UP–United Auctioneers, 3–0 |
7th place | |||
| All-Filipino | 4th (6–4, 17 pts) | Lost in quarterfinals vs. Cignal, 1–3 | 5th place | |||
| 2019 | Grand Prix | 7th (3–11, 11 pts) | Lost in quarterfinals vs. F2 Logistics in two matches[B] | 7th place | ||
| All-Filipino | 3rd (8–6, 25 pts) | Lost in semifinals vs. F2 Logistics, 1–3[B] Lost in third place match vs. Petron, 2–3 |
4th place | |||
| Invitational | 2nd (2–1, 6 pts) (Pool D) | Lost in semifinals vs. Petron, 0–3 Lost in third place match vs. Cignal, 0–3 |
4th place | |||
| Team spun off to Chery Tiggo Crossovers from 2020 to 2023 | ||||||
| PVL | 2023 | Invitational | 5th (1–4, 2 pts) (Pool B) | Did not qualify Won in 11th place match vs. Gerflor, 3–1 |
11th place | |
- Notes
- Best-of-three series.
- Opposing team had twice-to-beat advantage.
Asian Women's Club Volleyball Championship
| Year | Preliminary round | Final round | Ranking | Source |
| 2016 | 2nd (1–1, 4 pts) (Pool A, preliminary round) 4th (0–3, 1 pt) (Pool E, classification round) | Lost in quarterfinals vs. Bayi Shenzhen, 0–3 | 7th place |
Individual awards
| Season | Conference | Award | Name |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | All-Filipino | 2nd Best Outside Spiker | Patty Jane Orendain |
| Grand Prix | 2nd Best Middle Blocker | Alyja Daphne Santiago | |
| 1st Best Setter | Ivy Jizel Perez | ||
| Most Valuable Player |  Lindsay Stalzer | ||
| 2016 | All-Filipino | 2nd Best Middle Blocker | Alyja Daphne Santiago |
| Grand Prix | |||
| 2nd Best Outside Spiker | Ariel Usher | ||
| 2nd Best Middle Blocker | Maika Ortiz | ||
| Most Valuable Player | Alyja Daphne Santiago | ||
| 2017 | Invitational | Best Opposite Spiker | Mary Grace Berte |
| All-Filipino | 1st Best Outside Spiker | Ennajie Laure | |
| Best Opposite Spiker | Alyja Daphne Santiago | ||
| Grand Prix | 1st Best Opposite Spiker | Alyja Daphne Santiago | |
| 2018 | Grand Prix | ||
| 1st Best Opposite Spiker |  Elizabeth Ann Wendel | ||
| 2nd Best Libero |  Katarina Vukomanović | ||
| 2019 | All-Filipino | 1st Best Middle Blocker | Alyja Daphne Santiago |
| Best Opposite Spiker | Dindin Santiago-Manabat | ||
| Invitational | 2nd Best Outside Spiker | Shaya Adorador | |
| Best Libero | Jennylyn Reyes |
Team captains
Jill Gustilo (2014)- Ivy Remulla (2015)
- Angeli Araneta (2016–2016)
Lindsay Stalzer (2016)- Aleona Denise Manabat (2017, 2018)
- Alyja Daphne Santiago (2017–2017)
- Maika Angela Ortiz (2018–2019)
- Carmina Aganon (2019)
- Shaya Adorador (2019, 2023)
Imports
| Season | Country | Player |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 |  Russia | Irina Tarasova |
| 2015 | United States | Kathleen Anne Messing |
| United States | Lindsay Stalzer | |
| 2016 | United States | Ariel Usher |
| United States | Lindsay Stalzer | |
| 2017 | Serbia | Sara Klisura |
 Montenegro | Dragana Perunicic | |
| Serbia | Katarina Vukomanović | |
| 2018 |  Trinidad and Tobago | Channon Thompson |
| Canada | Elizabeth Ann Wendell | |
| Serbia | Katarina Vukomanović | |
| 2019 |  Turkey | Selime İlyasoğlu |
| United States | Courtney Felinski | |
 Spain | Milagros Collar | |
Coaches
- Ma. Vilet Ponce-de León (2014–2016)
Fabio Menta (2016; Asian Women's Club Championship)
Moro Branislav[18] (2016–2017)[19]- Rommel Abella (2018; PSL Grand Prix)
- Edjet Mabbayad (2018; PSL Invitational)
- Aaron Vélez (2018–2019)
- Brian Esquibel (2023)
Notes
- Shares history with the Chery Tiggo Crossovers. The original Foton team was renamed as Chery in 2020. Foton would be briefly revived as a separate team apart from Chery for the 2023 PVL Invitational Conference. That Foton team was dissolved after playing in that tournament.